Biden Speaks Out on Ukraine, Blasts Putin

President Biden departs the White House on a walk to Marine One on October 6th (Andrew McKeough/AKSM Photography).

In an interview with CNN, Biden called Russian leader Vladimir Putin a “rational actor,” and said he believed Putin had misjudged the strength of Ukraine.

Article by Cate McCusker, Senior White House Correspondent

WASHINGTON - Last night, in an exclusive interview with CNN’s Jake Tapper, President Joe Biden spoke on the war in Ukraine.

The war in Ukraine is approaching its eighth month since Russia invaded in February. Russia has struggled throughout this conflict, and a recent counteroffensive launched by Ukraine has been successful. Yet Russia has launched an intense bombing campaign this week, and at least 19 people have been killed and more than 100 wounded across Ukraine. This new campaign comes after Putin has installed General Sergei Surovikin as Russia’s new commander of the war.

Biden called Russian leader Vladimir Putin a “rational actor,” and said he believed Putin had misjudged the strength of Ukraine.

“He talked about the whole idea of – he was needed to be the leader of Russia that united all of Russian speakers. I mean, it’s just I just think it’s irrational,” Biden said. “I think he thought he was going to be welcomed with open arms, that this was the home of Mother Russia in Kyiv, and that where he was going to be welcomed, and I think he just totally miscalculated.”

“He’s acted brutally,” Biden said, when asked if he would meet Putin at next month’s Group of 20 summit in Indonesia. “I think he’s committed war crimes. And so I don’t, I don’t see any rationale to meet with him now.”

Biden didn’t think Russia would use a nuclear tactical weapon in the war, and criticized Putin for speaking about it.

“I think it’s irresponsible for him to talk about it, the idea that a world leader of one of the largest nuclear powers in the world says he may use a tactical nuclear weapon in Ukraine,” he said.

When asked about what the US response would be if Putin did use a nuclear weapon, Biden declined to answer but stated that discussions and plans are in the works.

“There’s been discussions of that, but I’m not going to get into that. It would be irresponsible of me to talk about what we would or wouldn’t do,” Biden said.

Biden also stated that there would be “consequences” for Saudi Arabia after it partnered with Moscow to announce a cut in oil production, a decision that may raise oil prices ahead of the upcoming midterm elections.